Tuesday, December 23, 2014

The Meaning of Christmas

The Meaning of Christmas

Christmas has arrived once again, with all its joy and all its colors. Through the centuries, we have become accustomed to a certain way of celebrating Christmas. The homecoming of friends and relatives, the snow under the windowsill, the gifts beneath the tree, the lights and colors, decorations, lavish Christmas dinner – all these has become an inevitable part of our rejoicing. Beyond all this merrymaking and happiness, Christmas also stands for some core values – a deeper meaning.


The Meaning of Christmas - What it Stands For
Joy is the word that we often associate with Christmas. The true joy that Christmas brings is not just the joy of having our family back home, or exchanging gifts with them. The true joy that Christmas stands for comes from within you – it is the joy that comes from the hope of a new beginning that the birth of Jesus Christ brings.

While we celebrate Christmas with fervor, there are many families and persons who cannot happily rejoice so well during the Christmas season. Those suffering from poverty, diseases and loss of the beloved ones are there, unable to share in the joy of Christmas. Christmas is also the time of remembering them, and extending a helping hand to make them happy if possible. Christmas, thus, also stands for mutual care, philanthropy and mercy.

Even as we are planning for shopping and decorations, there are millions of families around the world, whose lives are ruined by war and hostility. The bloodshed about which we hear in the newspapers is a reality for some unfortunate persons around the globe. Even within our society, we come across instances of mutual hatred taking its toll on people. And these ruins are brought upon them not by nature, but by human actions. It is in our hands to empathize with them, and try to help if we can. Above all, it is up to us to stand for and spread the value of peace, without which humanity has no existence. It is exactly this message of peace that each Christmas advocates.
A Merry Christmas to All from Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy
Ultimately, the joy, peace and happiness that Christmas stands for does not come from just being happy. It derives from making others happy as well. Over the past forty years, Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy has tried to make lives better and happier for others. The services of the academy have always tried to make people healthier, more confident, and happier. Through our programs, we have tried to find better lives for the specially abled and the seniors in our society. The Academy has always stood for the unity and happiness that arises from amity, friendship and cooperation.

If we have made any difference to anybody's lives, it became possible because you were with us. This Christmas, Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy sends a very special Merry Christmas & Happy Holidays to All.

Tuesday, December 16, 2014

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Saturday, December 13, 2014

An After-School Martial Arts Gift

An After-School Martial Arts Gift: Bruce McCorry’s AMP
If you are a parent, it goes without saying that the most demanding Christmas task is to choose the ideal Christmas gift for your child. You might have spent hours and days debating the best thing that you can get for him/her. However, this year, you have the chance to give your child and enduring and worthwhile Christmas gift – something that will transform his/her life – Martial Arts.

How Does Martial Arts become the Perfect Gift?
A chance to learn martial arts is the best gift you can give your child for Christmas. The benefits of learning martial arts are varied. Especially in the case of children, martial arts can offer many advantages that will come to their aid in studies as well as daily life:

* Martial arts improve your child’s health by fostering immunity and reducing the risk of diseases. It also prevents lifestyle diseases in future.

* Children who learn martial arts tend to be energetic and fit from a very young age. This is something that will stay with them throughout their lives. Each martial art has unique ways of burning calories and redistributing fat deposits in your child’s body.

* Martial arts is also about safety and security. It is one of the easy-to-learn and beneficial self-defense methods.

* Martial arts provide energy, reduce tiredness and makes children sharper. All these will aid them in studies and extra-curricular activities alike.

When you gift martial arts to your kids, you are gifting them health, fitness, safety and happiness that will stay with them for their lives. This makes martial arts the perfect Christmas gift.

An After-School Martial Arts Gift: Bruce McCorry’s AMP
After-School Martial Arts Program (AMP) at Bruce McCorry’s Academy of Martial Arts (Peabody, MA) is a quality martial arts program designed for kids. Bruce McCorry’s AMP is a good choice if you want your child to learn martial arts. In the first place, the time after school is the most suitable for learning martial arts as it will revive the children after their heavy school hours. Secondly, it will also give them the much needed physical activity that would break the dullness of their day-long mental efforts. Healthy living practices like martial arts are an important factor that will determine the health and well-being of your child in future.

Bruce McCorry’s AMP is unique in itself in many ways. It is one of those rare children’s martial arts programs in which quality martial arts is imparted in an enjoyable and easy method. AMP brings together the best martial arts talents from various parts of US as the faculty. It is also a program that places a lot of emphasis on the safety and security of the children. The academy provides cost-effective transport service aimed at the safety of the children. AMP is great not only because it helps to make productive use of the after-school time, it also ensures that the kids have a safe and happy place to spend the after-school hours. Choosing Bruce McCorry’s AMP will be a better and safer alternative to spending the after-school hours unsupervised.

Why wait? Make this Christmas and New Year special by gifting your child the best gift that you can give – a chance to learn martial arts at Bruce McCorry’s Academy!

Tuesday, December 9, 2014

Karate Kids – Give the Gift of Confidence, Health and Well-Being

Karate Kids – Give the Gift of Confidence, Health and Well-Being
Written by: Master McCorry


What is it that your child will find most useful in his or her life? You might be asking yourself this question once or twice every year – especially during Christmas, the season of gifts. Everyone needs confidence, health and well-being to lead a happy life. But then definitely, these are not things that you can gift your kids. Or are they?

Karate: Give the Gift of Confidence, Health and Well-Being to your Children
If you want to gift your child confidence, well-being and a healthy life, then Karate is your key. Karate is a simple-to-learn yet effective martial art that has the potential to transform the life of your child. How exactly does Karate foster these hard-to-achieve qualities in your child?

Childhood is for many of us, too young an age to start working out. But everyone needs some kind of physical exercise to remain healthy and fit. Today’s children hardly spend any time on physical activities like playing or running about. Even school gyms fail at providing the necessary physical exercise for kids. That is where Karate comes to your child’s help. It is not intense or burdening like a typical workout, still it is more effective than a workout. It burns off the excess fat accumulated from junk foods, and enhances the blood circulation leading to healthier living.

Karate is not just for health and fitness. It also makes your child confident. Karate teaches many values that are a part of the eastern traditions where it takes birth. It teaches how to keep calm at the face of difficulties, how to face and overcome challenges, and how to take on the world boldly. Along with confidence, learners also achieve values like compassion, socializing, mutual help, trust and acceptable behavior.

Karate contributes to the holistic well-being of a child. It enhances the capacities of mind such as analytic power, reasoning ability, thought-processing and decision making. These are all faculties that would help children in studies, especially in subjects like arithmetic.

Gifting the Best: Karate Lessons at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy
One of the best places that offers quality Karate lessons for children on the North Shore and surrounding areas is Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy in Peabody (Massachusetts). What you get to experience at Bruce McCorry’s is Karate with a difference. Self-defense, self-discipline and self-confidence is the mantra of Bruce McCorry’s Academy. The academy follows a unique learning method that goes beyond the surface of martial arts – the moves, kicks and punches – to the core values that lie at the heart of each martial art.

Karate lessons at Bruce McCorry’s are offered by veteran instructors with years of experience in Karate as both students and teachers. Each learner gets individual attention and care at the academy. Children from three years of age can join Karate lessons. For each age group, the academy has a special curriculum simplified and adapted to suit the learners. Children can also opt to learn Karate in after-school hours with the ever popular AMP Bruce McCorry's After School Program.

The greatest gifts that you can give your children are not PlayStations or iPads – the best gifts are those which they will find useful forever. You can make this Christmas unforgettable for your kids by gifting them the best: a chance to learn Karate at Bruce McCorry’s and be the Karate Kids of future.

Friday, December 5, 2014

Martial Arts: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Everyone



Martial Arts: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Everyone
It is once again the time to hunt for the ideal gifts for your friends and family. It is said that an average American spends around $704 on gifts every Christmas. However, we do not care much for the money that we spend and the effort involved in finding out the gift as long as it makes someone happy. That is why the perfect Christmas gift is one of the most Googled topics every December – exactly the reason why you are reading this now!

Choosing the Perfect Christmas Gift
You should remember two things before choosing gifts. Firstly, the person who receives the gift should love it. Secondly, what you buy for someone should be of some use to them. As long as you know the needs and tastes of a person, choosing a gift is rather easy. But what if you have no idea about a person's likes? Is there a gift that anyone would like – a gift that will be useful to anyone who receives it?   Yes, the answer is Martial Arts.

Martial Arts: The Perfect Holiday Gift for Everyone
Here is an innovative Christmas gift suggestion. For this Christmas, you could get your friends and family an opportunity to learn martial arts. This might not have crossed your mind, but martial arts is a wonderful Christmas gift for your near and dear. Why is martial arts a perfect Christmas gift? 

* It is good for health: Learning martial art leads to less chances of risky diseases. There are studies which show how martial arts lessen the chances of cardiac diseases, stroke, hypertension, diabetes and obesity.

* It also means a toned body: Who doesn't want a toned and fit body that they can flaunt? Martial arts can give you exactly that. Martial arts burn calories faster and better than workouts. 

* Discipline and values: There are a lot of values which we need in order to be successful in our daily life. Martial arts can help to cultivate those values. Discipline, punctuality, order, rational thinking, time management – these are all principles that can be fostered through martial art.

* Less stress, more confidence: Martial art is a worthy way to relieve stress. It also lifts your confidence level. Self-confidence and calmness are two merits which will come to your help whether you are a worker, a student or a homemaker.

* More fun, more life: Martial arts is also something you can learn in an enjoyable and entertaining way. It will give you the opportunity to socialize, make friends, be the part of a larger family and lead a happier life.

Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy
This Christmas, you can get your friends and family a free trial at Bruce McCorry's Academy of Martial Arts as an ideal Christmas gift. One of the foremost martial art schools in Massachusetts, Bruce McCorry's offers quality martial arts in an enjoyable and easy-to-learn method.

As a Christmas gift, martial arts is the ultimate choice because it will offer a safe haven to take refuge from all the heftiness and problems of life. If you gift a person a chance to learn martial arts, it means that you are giving them something that will stay with them always and make them happy throughout their lives. It is something they need, though they may not have realized it until now. And it is definitely something that they will love, for everyone will find something or other to love in it, once it becomes their passion. Give the gift of health and well being.... Martial Arts!... Go for it!   Give is a call 
(978) 535-7878 today for more information, We offer all sorts of different programs suitable for everyone.  Happy Holidays!

Monday, December 1, 2014

15% off Cyber Monday Sale

Bruce McCorrys Martial Arts Academy - The Best Choice

Is Martial Arts your Dream?
Many people who take up martial arts out of passion quits it without realizing their dreams. The reason why we often hear such stories is because they are taught martial arts in a way that makes it boring for them. Martial arts like Karate and Kung Fu are soothing and enjoyable arts – the right way to learn them is to have fun and learn. You can realize your martial arts dreams only if you learn to love martial arts for its greatness. Where can you learn martial arts appreciating its greatness and enjoying its calmness?

Bruce McCorry' Academy – The Haven of Martial Art Lovers
Since 1978, Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts Academy is a familiar name for Massachusetts. Established by Master Bruce McCorry as a small martial arts school, today the academy is one of the largest martial arts institutions in New England, accommodating hundreds of students every year. The past four decades have molded Bruce McCorry's to a place where children and adults from all sections of the society come to make their martial art goals come true. A serene campus, dedicated teachers and student-friendly courses are the major attractions of the academy.

The Major Programs Offered at Bruce McCorry's Academy
The reason why Bruce McCorry's is popular is that everyone can find a comfortable space within the academy. Bruce McCorry's offers courses for students from 3 years onwards. Following are some of the major courses at Bruce McCorry's:

· Little Ninjas: Little Ninjas is a pre-schooler course aimed at light and burden-free martial arts for children from 3 to 6 years of age aimed at developing motor skills, communicative skills and health

· Junior Programs: A child between 7 – 12 years of age can join the foundation course named Juniors. The course is aimed at introducing the learner to the martial arts so that they can realize their aptitudes and decide the specialization they intent to take for the future. After school martial arts is a useful junior program, and so is the Summer Program.

· Teen/Adult Programs:
Those after 13 years of age can join the  Teen/Adult programs. The learner can choose the martial art of his/her choice and receive customized training. These courses are useful in building health, keeping fit and alleviating stress.

· Special Needs: Special Needs program is an inclusive course that gives the specially abled learners an opportunity to experience quality martial arts. Physically and mentally challenged students can learn a selection of martial arts with therapeutic value. Students in the autistic spectrum can benefit a lot from this program.

What is Special at Bruce McCorry's
Bruce McCorry's offers you a number of opportunities exclusive to the academy. If you are interested in checking out the academy, you can obtain a free trial without any obligations, or by joining now through Dec 7th 2014, receive 15% off all programs. the Afterschool program also offers additional benefits such as transport facilities. All the teachers at the academy are persons with years of experience in their arts both as students and instructors. You can join the academy as a family, and enjoy the unique experience of learning martial arts with your family, which is again, something special. You might be wishing to learn martial arts for a number of reasons. Whether it is health, self-defense, fitness or stress-relief, Bruce McCorry's is the place where you can come to make your dreams come true. Register today for a free trial or Join today and take advantage of their 15% off Cyber Monday Sale on ALL MEMBERSHIPS. Sale expires on the 7th!

Friday, November 28, 2014

Cardio Kickboxing at Bruce McCorrys

Burn off the Turkey Stuffing with Cardio Kickboxing
Written by: Sandra LaRosa

Holidays are the time when the turkey makes us forget the fitness vows and New Year resolutions. Enjoying a good feast is fine, but it is equally important to workout properly and burn off the excess calories that is a usual part of holiday weight gain. Which is the best workout to combat holiday weight gain? If this is your question, you have reached the right place.

Holiday Weight Gain Facts: What to Know and What to Prevent

Holiday weight gain is a concern among anyone who is conscious of their health and fitness. Weight gain, in itself, is both unhealthy and unwanted. What makes holiday weight gain doubly so? Here are some essential facts you need to know before the Christmas feast gets the better of you:

* Every holiday season (the time from November to December) passes with causing an average American to gain at least one pound of weight. Remember, that’s just the minimum.


* If you think that just one pound can be easily burned off, then there is an important thing that you need to know. Certain medical theories have suggested that the weight gained during the holiday season can hardly be burned off.


* If there is truth to these studies, this means that every passing year will lead to a persistent increase in body weight, which cannot be reversed. One study even points out that within a decade, usually ten to twenty pounds of irreversible fat is added to the body weight.


* Psychological opinions on holiday weight gain suggests that most of the New Year resolutions are on fitness and workout because of the guilt and discomfort that accompanies the holiday weight gain.

Cardio Kickboxing to Fight Holiday Weight Gain

Whether the stats are completely true or not, at least one thing is evident. It is better to prevent putting on weight rather than to strain to lose it. There are ways by which you can prevent holiday weight gain without really giving up the joys of a Christmas feast. Cardio kickboxing is a good option.

Cardio kickboxing is a martial art which balances the benefits of traditional arts with the ease of a modern workout. Veterans have placed kickboxing among the ultimate weight loss methods.


* According to the Center for Health and Sciences, kickboxing can burn nearly 1,000 calories per hour even in a person with obesity


* Kickboxing puts most of the major muscle groups into action. It is a comprehensive workout.


* Heart rate repeatedly climbs and stabilizes during a cardio kickboxing session. This is ideal for both losing weight and maintaining cardiac health.


* Cardio kickboxing makes your body look balanced even after the weight loss so that you won’t appear frail or tired.
Cardio Kickboxing at Bruce McCorry’s

Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy offers quality lessons in cardio kickboxing with its focus on weight loss and fitness. At the academy, you can get clear guidelines on how to use cardio kickboxing effectively for fitness and health. 

The best way to prevent holiday weight gain is to start practicing beforehand, and fall into a regular pattern of workout by the time of holidays. You can also use cardio kickboxing to burn off the weight you have already gained, because it is one of those rare workouts that can minimize the effects of holiday weight gain. When you can use cardio kickboxing to avert weight gain, why hesitate to celebrate the feast!

Tuesday, November 25, 2014

Thanksgiving: Origins and History



As we approach this Holiday Season, we would like to express our thanks. As we look back upon the past year, we would like to take the time and acknowledge those who have helped us along the way.  Special thanks to our valued customers and long time students. We are grateful for your support. We look forward to another year of new goals. Its a pleasure serving you.
 
Thank you. Most of all, thank you for your loyalty, new and older students alike... WE WISH EVERYONE ALL THE BEST IN ANY ALL ENDEVOURS YOU EMBARK UPON IN 2015.
 
Happy Holidays
Master McCorry and Sandra

Enjoy a little Thanksgiving History, Facts and Origin...

Today, we think of Thanksgiving as November’s fourth Thursday – a day to gather as a family and enjoy a delicious meal. But beyond the feast and the family, Thanksgiving has an interesting and unforgettable history which every American should know.

Thanksgiving: Origins and History
The roots of the Thanksgiving ceremony can be traced to the Native American traditions of giving thanks after a bountiful harvest. The turkey and pumpkin pie that we enjoy today is a relic of the ancient ways of commemorating a good harvest.

When the Pilgrims crossed the waters, they brought with them many Puritan religious customs of which Puritan Thanksgiving was one. This religious ritual that combined meals and prayer later became blended with the Native American tradition of Thanksgiving. In the modern sense, the day was first celebrated in 1621, when the Pilgrims succeeded in coming up with a good harvest after suffering and scarcity for a long time. The customs they initiated – the feasting, recreation and family gathering – are what we observe to this day. There are chronicles and documents which prove that 1621 celebration marked the birth of Thanksgiving in the modern sense.

In 1777, the fervor of the new nation was seen in the Continental Congress declaring the first ever national Thanksgiving. By 1815, the concept of National Thanksgiving gradually ceased, though President Washington and others had endorsed this mode of celebration. Since then, Thanksgiving was more or less an individual state observance until President Lincoln once again called for a National Thanksgiving to unite the war-shaken country. In 1941, the Congress fixed the fourth Thursday of November as the permanent Thanksgiving holiday, as we celebrate it today.

Massachusetts and Thanksgiving
Massachusetts is important in the annals of American history as the landing point of the Pilgrims. In the history of Thanksgiving also, Massachusetts has its proud space. Though we don’t know the exact date in which the first Thanksgiving took place, we know that the spot was Plymouth. There are eye-witness accounts of the incident as the evidence of this. It is from Massachusetts that Thanksgiving was embraced by the whole of the United States to be a national festival.

Thanksgiving Facts Today
Here are some of the facts about Thanksgiving which you don’t know!

* Though Thanksgiving is celebrated on the fourth Thursday of November in US, it is celebrated on the second Monday of October in Canada

* First Thanksgiving was celebrated for three days

* During Thanksgiving celebration, 28000000 turkeys are sold every year

* An average American consumes up to 18 pounds of Turkey a year

* Benjamin Franklin wanted Turkey to be the national bird

* 91% of Americans celebrate Thanksgiving by eating Turkey

* Each Thanksgiving and Christmas causes a pound of weight gain to an average American

* The pounds you gain during these holidays cannot be lost (Make sure you work out!)

* West Coast of US uses Dungeness Crab sometimes instead of turkey

* Thomas Jefferson thought of Thanksgiving as a “ridiculous idea”
HAPPY THANKSGIVING

Thursday, November 13, 2014

Depression: Martial Arts as a Cure

How Martial Arts Come to Your Aid Against Depression
Written by: Master McCorry

It is estimated that around 121 million people around the world suffer from depression. According to the data by Healthline, US and India top the depression charts with 30 to 36% of reported depression incidents. An estimated 121 million people around the world currently suffer from some form of depression. It is calculated that one in every ten Americans encounter depression at least once in their lives. As these unhappy stats indicate, the modern life has contributed more to stress than to well-being.

No depression phase passes on without leaving its imprints on your body and mind. Consequences of depression range from sleeplessness to increased chances of cardiac arrest, stroke and suicidal tendency. Sometimes, depression is the aftereffect of a specific event – the death of a relative, or losing your job, for instance. However, depression can also happen without any particular trigger. In either cases, it is important to realize that what the victim undergoes in not ’just sadness’ but clinical depression.

Recognizing Depression: Symptoms and Warnings

In order to recognize depression, you may ask yourself the following questions:

* Do you feel helpless and lost most of the time?
* Have you lost interest in what happens around you?
* Have you noticed a sudden change in your appetite, weight or sleep pattern?
* Do you feel uncontrollable anger or tiredness?
* Do you hate yourself at times?

If your response to most of these questions is yes, you may suspect that you might have clinical depression. If you are still doubtful, you can take the advise of a physician.

Clinical Depression: Martial Arts as a Cure
Many experts agree that physical activity can help people with depression. Often, engaging physical activities like martial arts gives you a sense of control and decisiveness that you can surpass the obstacles in your life. With this psychology at work, martial arts can help you to overcome depression. Even if your doctor suggests medication, martial arts can go hand in hand with the treatment because it adds to the healing process.

Here is how martial arts come to your aid against depression:

* Life skills: Martial arts teaches you many lessons about life. You can develop the ability to deal with the problems of life through martial arts.

* Being happy: Martial arts quicken the healing process by teaching you how to recover and be happy. Studies show that martial arts have been instrumental for many people in recovering from the trauma of abuse, dysfunctional families and eating disorders.

* Self-confidence: The sense of achievement that you gain from martial arts is unmatched. It is not just for health and fitness - it imparts the ethics, self-awareness and mental strength to be confident.

* Discipline: Discipline, in the context of martial arts, means that it tempers excessive emotions and helps you to restrain yourself. If you want to get out of depression, you need to learn to control emotions.


* Strength: Martial arts also makes you stronger – both in your body and mind. This enables you to face the problems of life effectively.

Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy
The ultimate aim of anything that we do is to live with insight and be happy. The martial art lessons at Bruce McCorry’s Academy (Peabody, MA) is a constructive program that helps you to equip yourself for the difficulties in your life. Martial arts at Bruce McCorry’s has helped many to recover and come back to life from states of depression and stress. At Bruce McCorry’s you can experience martial arts with insight and live a longer, happier life.

Tuesday, November 11, 2014

Self Defense Classes - Facts & Information

Self Defense Classes - Facts & Information
written by: Master McCorry

Self defense is an inevitable skill to survive in today’s world. Each day, the media comes up with new instances of violence, attacks and crimes. According to the National Center for Injury Prevention, 33% of the youth has been a part of physical violence. School bullying stats and juvenile crime rates are on an alarming rise. Youth and children are not the sole victims of crime. Adults also encounter situations in which some self-defense skill would have come handy. Elder abuse is also on the rise.

Some specific reports by Neighborhood Scouts from Massachusetts are shocking:

* Around 6000 robberies and 18000 assaults are annually reported

* 2 million burglaries are reported from Boston alone

* From 1970 to 2014 there is an increase in number of assaults from 5003 to 18,638

All these indicate that it is important for every one of us to learn to fight back if necessary. It is especially so in the case of women, children and elders – the most frequent victims of violence and crime. We should not only learn to just defend ourselves, but we should also be aware of our self defense rights.

Martial Arts: The Ultimate Self Defense
Self defense is not just using your fist and knees to overpower your attacker. It also involves using your intelligence and alertness to extricate yourself from dangerous situations. In fact, the latter skill would prove much more useful than physical resistance in many situations. Even where physical fighting fails, intellect and alertness can win. That is why martial arts – the combo of physical resistance and vigilant thinking – is considered the ultimate self defense.

Martial arts can equip you to defend yourselves in many ways. Following are some of the useful self defense skills that you can gain by learning martial arts:

* Martial arts give you stronger physical ability

* It increases your self confidence by erasing negative thoughts and making you stronger

* It teaches you to be alert and vigilant always

* Martial arts teaches you how to think and act swiftly – a skill that comes most useful in self defense

* Martial arts teaches you how to be cool and collected at the face of an emergency. Not panicking is the first thing you need when you face a difficult situation
.
* It makes you courageous and brave. This is an important value, because it will teach you not only to protect yourself, but also help others from a crisis.

* Finally, martial arts has the ability to improve your perception and attention skills. Quickly noticing and recognizing suspicious circumstances is a big advantage in self defense, and martial art teaches you this.

Self Defense Classes at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts
Teaching self defense is not easy, because self defense succeeds only when the learner decides to equip himself/herself. The martial arts self defense lessons at Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, MA), therefore, focuses on teaching you how to prepare yourselves. So the emphasis of Bruce McCorry’s self defense classes is not just on jabs and punches, but also on vigilant thinking, quick action and decision making skills. An essential part of Bruce McCorry’s self defense martial arts lessons is teaching how to recognize and avoid dangers, along with fighting back.

Join today for useful self defense martial art classes at Bruce McCorry's Academy of Martial Arts!

Friday, November 7, 2014

After school Karate for Kids

Karate Kids - After School Karate Classes for Children
written by: Master McCorry
Learning Karate in after school hours might be something that you have never thought of before. But if you think about it, you can see that it is one of the most beneficial ways in which your child can make use of the time after school. Karate is a wonderful martial art that can actually transform your child’s life. Why should you choose Karate as your child’s after school pastime? Here are some answers. Karate and Kids: The Advantages of Martial Arts for Children Karate is one of those martial arts which every beginner can easily adapt to. However, this adaptable nature of Karate is only one among the many reasons to choose Karate. Your child will benefit both physically and mentally through Karate lessons. · Karate increases physical strength in children and boosts their energy levels.

· It makes them more immune to illnesses. It also reduces the chances of lifestyle-based health risks in future life.

· Karate learners develop the ability to work for a long time without being tired. This can be beneficial to your child.

· Practicing Karate can actually refine the mind and improve its reasoning abilities. Each Karate session involves spontaneous planning and action, which will make kids reasonable judges and quick decision makers in the future.

· Karate is also a useful self-defense that you can use to protect yourself from danger.


· Through enhancing bodily strength and defensive skills, Karate actually boosts your self-confidence. Karate-learning children seldom face stage fear or nervousness at a crucial moment.
Afternoon Karate Lessons: Why is it Useful? Many martial art veterans opine that the time after school is the most suitable for learning martial arts. On the practical side of it, learning martial arts after school has its many benefits. After hours of mental effort in school, every child needs some physical activity to relieve them. Until a few decades ago, children used to play and take part in physical activities, but nowadays, physical activities are restricted to a specific hour dedicated for gym. Even this is not properly carried out many a time. Afternoon martial art lessons can compensate this need for physical activity. We see many children too exhausted to learn anything once they come back from school. The reason is the excess mental effort that they have to put during the school hours. Just like fresh air or nourishing water will refresh them, energetic physical activity for an hour can replenish them without being a burden on them.
Bruce McCorry’s Academy – After school Karate for Kids If martial arts lessons become as dull and effortful as the school hours, there is no point in hoping that it will refresh children. It is very important to plan the lessons carefully, blending enjoyment and fun with martial arts. Many kids and parents love Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, MA) because here they get the opportunity to learn quality professional martial arts in a fun way. Bruce McCorry’s is in the forefront of major martial art schools in the US, and there is a dedicated team of instructors at the academy. The contribution of Bruce McCorry’s in building a generation of martial artists and martial art lovers in Massachusetts has been monumental. After school Karate lessons come with many benefits like experienced guidance, fun yet comprehensive syllabus and transport facility. Join today to know the difference!

Tuesday, November 4, 2014

Martial Arts Fitness - The Perfect Way to Stay in Shape During the Holidays

Martial Arts Fitness - The Perfect Way to Stay in Shape During the Holidays
written by: Sandra LaRosa



It is again that time of the year when we easily forget our daily responsibilities and get into the mood of a holiday. Holidays are the time you get to relax the most and take a break. Each Christmas and Thanksgiving comes with a few days of relief from the stress and hurry of our busy days. Ironically, statistics point out that each holiday has adverse effects on health and fitness. Holiday weight gain is not something to be dismissed lightly.
Why Fear Holiday Weight Gain? Traditional studies show how November and December adds around 5 to 7 pounds to a person’s weight.
  • The average holiday weight gain is 5-7 pounds for people with normal weight, but a person has trouble with losing the weight gained, causing a constant increase in weight every year
  • Though 5-7 is the average, persons with overweight or obesity can gain much more
  • Students showed a weight gain from half a pound to two pounds in just two weeks during Thanksgiving
The fact that it is difficult to lose the weight gained during holidays, this is why you must take it seriously. Why does this happen?

Unhealthy Diet Habits and Holidays
We usually don’t bother to stick to our regular diet during holidays. Celebration time comes with high calorie food - lots of chocolates, fast foods and sugar. This has a lot of negative impact, especially if you are a person who sticks to a regular diet pattern. The human body always keeps a balanced store of fat, called the set point. When you are on a diet, your body will grow accustomed to it, and create energy from the little fat available. When you switch to fatty food all of a sudden, naturally your body will store the excess fat for the future, leading to health problems.

No Workout = Weight Gain
Yet another reason for the holiday weight gain is breaking the regular workout pattern. Taking breaks from workouts is unhealthier than stopping the workout altogether. Each time you take a break from working out, your body tends to gain weight faster. Even though you restart working out after the holiday, it becomes harder and harder to lose the extra pounds you've gained.

Staying in Shape with Martial Arts at Bruce McCorry’s
With friends, family, shopping, planning and celebrating, the last thing you want to do on a holiday is workout. But what if you take up something enjoyable like martial arts? Martial arts are not just fun, but lighter and more effective compared to most workouts. Martial arts can burn calories effectively at a very fast pace. The result is a toned and fit body. Fitness, health, stress-relief, self-confidence and self-defense are only some of the benefits of martial arts. It is always better to prevent weight gain than working hard to lose the pounds that you virtually cannot lose. Martial arts fitness is your way out.

At Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts (Peabody, MA) you can choose from more than 10 different martial arts that will help you to stay in shape even during the holidays. Taking up martial arts is not just something to prevent weight gain during the holidays. It can be your fitness mantra all year long. Choose martial arts for a healthier, happier holiday season…

Thursday, October 30, 2014

Halloween Safety Tips - The Martial Arts Way

Halloween Safety Tips - The Martial Arts Way
written by: Master McCorry

Getting scared for Halloween is fun; however, it need not be at the cost of your child’s safety. Usually, it is quite normal that a kids-night-out will result in some scratches and tears, but that's not a problem compared to the real threats. The increasing number of child pedestrian fatalities on the day of Halloween over decades has led media to describe October 31 as the "deadliest day" for children. There are also reports of abduction attempts, hazards resulting from dangerous costumes and so on. Familiarize your child with the following Halloween child safety tips to ensure a fun and safe Halloween!

Halloween Safety Measures and Tips for Children

1) Safe Trick-or-Treating

* Always go trick-or-treating as a group, preferably accompanied by an adult. Always try and stick to the group.

* Go Trick-or-Treating only at areas which are familiar to you
* Stick to well-lit roads and familiar houses, avoid desolate and dark areas
* Even if you wander off from your group, try to remain alert. Knowing some kind of a self defense would come to your help if you are met with an emergency.
* It is better not to go trick-or-treating late at night. Even if you do, always keep a flashlight with you
* If strangers offer you a ride, do not accept it

2) Eating Your Treats
* Try not to accept treats from strangers or suspicious people as much as possible.
* Since the most common method of Halloween crimes are doped candies, at least wait till you reach home before you eat candies offered by strangers.
* Make sure that younger children do not lay hands on big candies to avoid incidents of choking

3) Costume Safety Tips
* Do not include damage-causing accessories to the costumes. Especially in the case of younger children, it is better to avoid dangerous costumes that involve knives, swords and fire
* Test the skin make-up before you wear it for a long time. Remove it completely before you go to sleep.
* Parents may choose costumes that are made of material that is not easily inflammable

4) Road-Safety Tips
* Wear bright costumes and colors so that drivers easily spot you and avoid accidents
* Avoid dark-colored costumes as much as possible
* Avoid costumes that blocks or distorts clear vision. This may include fancy contact lenses, improperly pierced masks and eye make-up
* Always walk through the sidewalks
* Watch carefully before you cross the streets, even when you are in a group
Dealing with a Danger: What to Do? If suspicious-looking strangers approach you during trick-or-treating, try to handle the situation without panicking. If you have learnt some kind of a self-defense like Karate or Taekwondo, it would be helpful to you. You can use martial arts as a protective measure to escape from situations of emergency. There are institutions like Bruce McCorry's Academy (MA) that offer lessons in martial arts for self-defense. Even if you do not know any self-defense or martial arts, try to remain as alert as much as possible and try to take help from adults or other trick-or-treaters who might pass along. In the case of an accident, offer first-aid quickly and seek the help of an adult so that the injured person could be taken to the nearest hospital as soon as possible.
As parents, you can share these tips with your children. More important, however, is to make them aware of the possible dangers of Halloween and the importance of child safety. Enjoy a safe and fun Halloween!

Don't forget to visit  our Trunk-Or-Treat event Friday, Oct 31 at 5pm!




Tuesday, October 28, 2014

National Month for Breast Cancer Awareness - by Sandra LaRosa

                                                    A Trip to the Doctor
National Month for Breast Cancer Awareness
by Sandra LaRosa


Every October, we see pink ribbons all around us, and we have many socially conscious people pledging solidarity with the women who fight breast cancer and trying to spread its awareness. As a result of the commendable work done by these activists, we have more and more women aware about their body and health. Despite the rising number of women who come forward for annual check-ups, still there are many women who think that there is no need to do a mammogram unless they feel some tangible symptom. The story I want to share with you will show how important it is for us as women to be aware of breast cancer and remain constantly in vigil.


Breast cancer is the most frequently diagnosed cancer in U.S. women, excluding cancers of the skin. 

A Trip to the Doctor....
Though I had a medical history of Polymyositis, I hadn't had any setbacks for many years now. My regular martial arts practice and the treatment had been effective. I was confident, and it was with this confidence that I decided to start October with an annual mammogram. It was a Thursday, and Monday I received the callback that many of us dread.

The woman on the phone wanted me to go over to the Mass General to get some more pictures, and an ultrasound scan if they think it is necessary. "This is routine, you shouldn't be nervous..." She added. However, I was worried.

If the current rate stays the same, women born today have about a 1 in 8 chance of developing breast cancer at some point during their lives.

Since I didn't like waiting. I made my trip to the doctor the next day. It was in the waiting area that I first noted how the lobby was filled with pink. There were women, hiding their tears behind magazines. There was a news station on, in which some talk about breast cancer was going on. When I was waiting in that room with worried, panicked faces, I couldn't help thinking that what I received might be something more than a second routine call, another hurdle in my path...

Soon I was escorted to the mammogram room, where the technician took the pictures on that cold awkward machine. Back in the waiting room, I was soon called by a second technician, who wanted to me to follow her for an ultrasound. "There is nothing to worry, it looks like a cyst..." she said Again. I was wondering whether they were being serious. A few minutes after she pointed out the area of concern to me, the doctor came in. She wanted me to go in for an aspiration or a biopsy. She considerately asked me whether they should reschedule. I couldn't wait any more, and asked her to proceed.
In 2014, an estimated 232,670 new cases of invasive breast cancer will be diagnosed in U.S. women. In addition to invasive breast cancer, an estimated 62,570 cases of carcinoma in situ (CIS) will be diagnosed


I called Bruce McCorry's Martial Arts where I am an instructor. It was about noon, and Mr. McCorry, who answered the phone, kept me focused on remaining calm. He assured me everything is going to be okay, asking me not to worry about the school. While I waited for the doctor to make his preparations, my colleagues at School kept me sane by talking about all the usual happenings at school.
In 2014, an estimated 40,000 U.S. women will die from breast cancer

Within two hours from the morning appointment, here I was, doing an aspiration. Waiting patiently and feeling the numbness of it were the most difficult parts. Thirty minutes later, the cyst aspirated. The final mammogram showed everything being fine. The doctor added with a smile: "We will see you in a year..." I headed back to school with all the surgical tapes and mini ice packs in place. Back to another day of martial arts...

Looking Back...
Looking back with the power of hindsight, we can be relieved that the odds are in our favor. Statistics say that about 90% of callbacks turn out to be nothing. However, something like this opens our eye toward the fact that breast cancer is something that can happen to anyone, and it is our duty as women to be aware and alert to the issue.
The risk of getting breast cancer increases with age. Approximately 77% of women with breast cancer are over the age of 50 at the time of diagnosis.

Any dangerous disease is treated best in the earliest stages. Breast cancer is no exception. It is important to realize that October — the National Month for Breast Cancer Awareness - is not just about helping our fellow women who are victims of breast cancer to fight and come back to life, but also for the rest of us to be in vigil. It is not just enough to resort to medical help, but also to stick to healthy living practices - for both cure and prevention. Healthy eating habits, regular workout sessions, doing arts of living like martial arts, being eco-friendly - these are all part of our endeavor toward a world without cancer. Healthy women are the asset of any healthy society. This October, let us remember the message.

When detected and treated early, 5-year relative survival for localized breast cancer is 99%. For regional disease, it is 84%. If the cancer has spread to distant organs, 5-year survival drops to 24%.

Larger tumor size at diagnosis is also associated with decreased survival.

At this time, there are an estimated 2.8 million breast cancer survivors living in the U.S


Reference Statistic by:
The National Cancer Institute & the American Cancer Society

Tuesday, October 21, 2014

Martial Arts for Adults and Seniors - Peabody MA


Martial Arts for Adults and Seniors
Written by: Master McCorry

You don’t really have to worry about the increasing years if you realize that age lies in the mind, not in the body. If you have the will and dedication, you can keep both your mind and body young with some effort. Martial arts can offer you an answer to your age-related worries. Both adults and seniors have found what they need in their passion for martial arts. Whether your worry is health, fitness, stress or the boredom of isolation, martial arts can offer you an answer.

Martial Arts for Adults: The Benefits and Merits

Once you pass the golden age of thirty, you can assert that you have passed the mark of youth and entered into adulthood. Martial arts may seem too early and unwanted at thirty, but in fact in cannot be timed more aptly.
Here are some of the reasons why martial arts are inevitable for an adult. * Health: Many of us have jobs that require us to sit for hours, and schedules that leave us no space to cook healthy food. Junk food and lack of workout can cause a number of problems from obesity to cardiac difficulties. Martial arts is both a healthy living practice and a workout that can keep you strong. * Fitness: Martial arts can make your dream of a fit and toned body come true. Most martial arts are even better than workout sessions in keeping your body toned and fit. * Self-Defense: In today’s age, self-defense is not a luxury but a necessity. Martial arts can teach you the essential defensive techniques to protect yourself from dangers. * Stress-Relief: No life is stress-free nowadays. Yet, adult life has its own reasons to add to stress such as work, relationships and responsibilities of home. Martial arts is a good stress-relief technique as well. Martial Arts and Seniors: Advantages

Here's some photos and video of Bob & Sue Martial Arts Training...



Bob & Sue Martial Arts Training...



Seniors too have many benefits to gain from learning martial arts:

* Strength and Confidence: Often the society associates old age with lack of strength. Many seniors who learn martial arts are in fact stronger and more potent than younger men and women who do not learn martial arts. Martial arts can help seniors to be more confident and assertive, because it makes them physically strong.

* Old Age and Health: Just as in the case of adults, martial arts will help seniors to remain healthy and immune to diseases. Martial art-learning seniors are also less prone to common old-age related mishaps like falling and stumbling. This is because martial arts can enhance balance and coordination.

* Martial Arts to Foster Companionship: Many of the problems of old age originate from boredom. The lack of being occupied in a job, coupled with the absence of children results in depression and the feeling of being left alone. Martial art schools are also a place where you can effectively occupy yourself and find happiness in old age.

Martial Arts for Adults and Seniors – Bruce McCorry’s Academy
The greatest advantage of Bruce McCorry’s Martial Arts Academy (Peabody, Massachusetts) is that you can choose the kind of martial art that befits you personally. Each instructor will know your strength and weakness, thereby modifying your lesson plans for you. At Bruce McCorry’s, you also have a wide variety of martial arts to select. Be a part of the Bruce McCorry’s family and make the best of life through martial arts!